The magic of Christmas? It’s all about expectation

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The true meaning of Christmas can get lost even when you’re married to a vicar. But for our correspondent, it’s about waiting, perfectly expressed in the ceremonies surrounding Advent

You can tell it’s nearly Christmas when the annual debate about the true meaning of Christmas is aired. Whether this is sparked by politically correct councils banishing the word in favour of “seasonal festivities” or church groups protesting about “taking Christ out of Christmas”, the moment that you hear this kind of thing, it’s time to order the turkey.

Here in the vicarage we have another clue to tip us off. We call it Advent.

Advent is going out of fashion. When I was growing up we always had an Advent calendar. These days they seem to be called “Christmas